Improvement in portable fences



u'. cRAYTm. PORTABLE-FENCE;

Patented Feb. 15,'1 876. V

' NSPEI'ERS, FHOTOwLITHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTONv D. C. u

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

URIAS ORAYTON, OF DAVIDSON COLLEGE, NORTH CAROLINA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,592, dated February 15, 1876; application filed December 22, 1875.

Davidson College, in the county of Mecklenburg and State of North Carolina, have invented a new andlmproved Portable Fence;

and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,aud exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which- Figures 1 and 3 are side elevations, and Fig. 2 a plan view.

The invention consists in causing a tapered edge of one of two coupled panels to fit into a correspondinggroove of the next adjacent one, thus preventing the panels from being forced past one anotheryand from being blown or pushed out of position.

A represents a fence-panel, consisting of the rails B, having one tapering end, '1), fitting a corner-groove, b, in adjacent panel, and fast ened to the vertical bars 0, tapered on edges c. These panels are connected by keys E, that have a hook at each end, and are placed in the space between the middle rails'of two pancls, so as to. hook upon the beveled edges 0 of vertical bars 0.

0 represents the stake from which the fence is started.

The fence requires no mortlsing, and has but one brace to a panel, being thus extremely simple and economical. The beveled ends of bars 0 make a groove at the corner, which serves greatly to strengthen at this point, and resist wind, flood,.or stock.

It will also be perceived that any panel can be readily made to serve as a gate, while a farmer can build two panels of this fence to one of any other in a given time. It also requires but little waste of land, and a comparatively small quantity of material.

The posts or stakes F may be simply driven into the ground about two feet where the fence is begun, and where a corner is turned, while a single tenpenny' nail Will secure a panel. Thus,-with an ax' and saw the commonest Workman on a farm can readily and rapidly put up this fence.

The brace or key not only connects the panels, but binds the rails of each panel together. 1

7 Having thus described my. invention, what 7 I claim as new is I A portable fence formed of panels, having at one end the tapered edge I), and at the other the correspondingly-tapered groove b, connected by keys or looking devices, as and for the purpose specified.

. URIAS GRAYTON.

Witnesses:

T. W. SPARROW, J. E. BRATTAIN. 

